My day in cups of tea

We asked forest educator and wild café owner Diane Amey to share just a few of the cuppas she sees over the course of each day.

Morning! Are you rising and shining?

I can’t function without a breakfast tea first thing. Thankfully, my husband brings it to me in bed.

Do you have a morning routine?

If it’s a Wild Tea Bar day – in my gorgeous converted horsebox ‘Pegs’ – I’m usually up at 5.30am getting everything ready to pack in the trailer before school starts. When I’m not manning the café, I work from my home kitchen. Once the kids are out the door, the mixers are fired up by around 10am.

Why do you do what you do now?

I used to be an Early Years Lecturer. I started a forest school qualification and had time to look at my way of life and wanted a more flexible way of working. The Wild Tea Bar was born on a beach on a cold morning over a cuppa with my best friends. We woke up at 7am, had a paddle and thought we were pretty wild: hence the name. I wanted to create a business supporting outdoor education and nourishing families’ tummies and minds.

We’re putting the kettle on. What do you fancy?

I like a fruit tea during the day. Born Wild Tea's Raspberry lemonade is my favourite. My go-to mug is my Emma Bridgewater black and white cat mug, because the cat looks like our rescue moggy, Bailey.

And what’s on the cards in the afternoon?

All cakes are baked by 2.45pm, ready for me to do mum stuff again. Then it’s a mass clean up and admin, usually with coffee. If it needs baking it gets done.

I’ve sometimes been icing a birthday cake at 2am!

But Sundays are always family time, with football, walks and snuggles on the menu.

What are you most looking forward to right now?

I’m a massive hugger – when we can again, I hope to squeeze my friends and family until they squeak!